Blindly We Step Forward
by Hane no Miko
Summary: To look through a mirror is to see into your soul. Or is it only a reflection?
1. What was Hidden

Disclaimer: We don't own _Tsubasa Chronicle._ Also, the lyrics featured at the beginning are from a translation of the song _Rakuen_ (Paradise) by the fabulous Do As Infinity. The translators at Mognet(dot)net have generously given us permission to include their translation. Thank you, Mognet!

This fic takes place directly after episode 26 of the anime, so at the end of season 1.

* * *

**Blindly We Step Forward  
By: Hane no Miko (link no miko + Koorino Megumi)**

_Aim for a paradise that you can't yet see  
Somewhere in this endlessly expanding world  
We'll walk there  
No matter how far away _

Don't turn away, look ahead  
Until your body falls apart  
You'll live on  
Toward the future

**Chapter 1: What was Hidden**

When they dropped into the world in their usual unceremonious heap, all that was visible around them was a field of grass stretching to the horizon. The sky was blue, with puffy clouds floating across it. There were flowers in the field, and their scent permeated the air, carried by a soft breeze.

Before any of the others could even react to the new surroundings, Sakura was letting out a gasp of delight. In an instant, she surged to her feet, hands clasped before her. And, as if she hadn't just traveled across the universe to a whole new world, the princess spread out her arms and began to spin, simply basking in the beauty of the place.

Mokona immediately bounded after her, landing on her head and beginning to sing as they spun. "Spiiinning spiiiinning like a ballooooon..."

"Hyuu hyuu!" Fye called, smiling broadly at the sight of the two as he stood and brushed himself off.

Kurogane made a grunt that could be taken as either annoyance or assent and rolled his eyes, also pulling himself to a standing position, crossing his arms over his chest.

Syaoran smiled as well. He was the last to get up, as he was keeping his gaze focused on his princess having fun and paying no real attention to what he was doing. Inside, he couldn't help thinking that he loved this world already if it could make Sakura so happy so easily. But he wondered if they would find a feather here? Not that he could ask Mokona at the moment.

"Let's join them, Syaoran-kun!" Fye declared, pulling Syaoran from his reverie.

The boy blinked. "What?"

"Join! Join!" Mokona sang.

"Come on!" The magician grabbed his hand, tugging him over toward the girl.

"But Fye-san, I..." Syaoran began to protest.

Pain suddenly shot through Syaoran, his words dying in a gasp. The current that passed through him then struck out of nowhere and was so acute that he barely managed to keep from crying out. Strangest of all, it was going directly through his right eye. The boy put a hand to the useless eye, wondering how or why it would feel such a sensation, but his efforts did nothing to ease the pain. He cringed, fighting against it, hoping his princess wouldn't notice his struggle, even as Fye stopped pulling him, saying words that his mind could only dimly perceive.

He must have closed both eyes against the pain. He didn't remember doing so, but he must have. Because the moment before the pain had hit was the last moment he remembered of the green field of flowers.

"_Syaoran-kun!_"

_"Sakura-chan, wai--!"_

* * *

The light hurt. His eyes closed instinctively as the white burned into his retinas, but still the pain wouldn't go away. 

He raised his arms, fingers cool in the liquid that suspended him, and placed his palms against his face. The sensation was strange, new, and through the haze of pain he felt a myriad of other emotions--things he had no names for.

A sound echoed around him then, and his hands fell away from his face as his eyes squinted open. The light was still painful, but no longer blinding, and he could make out a strange, ephemeral shape through...whatever it was he floated in. His hands stopped their descent to rise again, this time towards the figure, and when they hit smooth coolness, he tilted his head to the side slowly.

The figure made a strange motion, and the pain intensified as he opened his mouth to scream.

* * *

Syaoran's eyes flew open, and he sat bolt upright, pain lancing through him. His hand flew to his right eye instantly as the echo of a scream haunted him. 

As soon as his fingers made contact, something inside him lurched, and his vision blurred until everything was black, then white, then a strange amalgamation of color and sound. His eyes adjusted slowly, painfully, and when he could finally see again, he nearly screamed.

His reflection stared back at him, only this was a person he had never seen before. Tattoos covered the figure's arms, and a patch crossed his left eye. But it was his open eye that made Syaoran recoil in fear, made him try to run from something he could never escape.

He saw death in that eye, the loss of all he loved and knew, and with a knowledge born of only intuition, knew it was all by his hand.

And then his reflection raised its hand, a shard of glass held between the pale fingers, and Syaoran had only a moment to feel the slice of the shard through his eye before his world went black.

* * *

Syaoran opened his eyes slowly, hissing slightly against the pain. The sun shown brightly down around him, hot and cloying, and he had only a moment to wonder if it had been this hot prior to his collapse before something blocked his vision. Blinking in surprise, he had just opened his mouth to speak when the white creature turned away and called out to the rest of the party. 

"Everyone! Syaoran woke up!"

He heard a scramble of feet against the ground, although that was strange, wasn't it, that there wasn't thudding against hard-packed earth? But then Sakura's face replaced Mokona, her eyes wide in worry, and he tried to smile for her.

"Princess..."

"Syaoran-kun, what happened? Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine," he said, sitting up slowly. He froze when he took his first good look at the world around them, barely feeling Sakura's arms on his shoulders as she supported him. "Is this...Clow?"

Sakura's gaze locked on his in surprise. "Do you know this place, Syaoran-kun?" she asked. "I...think I remember it."

Syaoran's eyes widened, the pain, while not forgotten, more easily ignored. He smiled for real now. "That's good, princess. If this is Clow, then it's your home."

Sakura gasped, turning to look around them. "My home...?" she repeated softly. He knew she wasn't questioning him; she would always believe him. But still, she couldn't help looking around at the world, and Syaoran could understand why...

They were near the garden that he had planted. Their secret garden, the one that everyone knew about and came to but no one knew the origin of--no one but the two of them. And now, him alone. But even he barely recognized it. The flowers that he had taken such careful care of were all withered and fading. The ruins around them looked as if they'd been ruined all over again--broken and partially buried in the surrounding sand. The sun beat down with the full force of its heat, the shade in the area destroyed by time and its effects. It was nothing like the refuge he had left behind.

_What happened here after we left?_

Sakura turned and noticed his expression, her own excitement fading quickly. "Syaoran-kun, what's wrong? Are you in pain?"

He shook his head and tried to stand, but only winced and grit his teeth. His head reeled, but he ignored it. "No, it's just... There should be flowers..."

The girl blinked and looked around again, and he watched as her expression saddened. After one last look, she turned to him and once again placed her hands on his arm. "Ne, Syaoran-kun... I..." She stopped and bit her lip, and he tilted his head curiously.

"Princess...?"

She shook her head and smiled. "No, it's nothing. I just... Syaoran-kun used to live around here? You told me once you lived in Clow."

He looked away at those words, over to the broken and dead garden as his mind and heart cried out. They were home, weren't they? Couldn't he finally stop lying?

"I...traveled a lot, with my father. We never stayed in one place long."

The princess frowned. "Oh." She looked at Syaoran, and he watched her, heart pounding with the fear that she would ask another question that he couldn't answer--one that would make him lie to her once again. But they were interrupted by a different voice before the girl could speak another word.

"If this is Sakura-chan's world, I wonder what we will find here?" Fye piped up, standing and looking around, his expression as pleasant as ever, though Syaoran knew his interruption had been no accident.

Mokona bounced up onto Fye's head, looking around as well with a frown on his face. Syaoran blinked, the real reason for their travels coming back to him at the sight. "Do you sense a feather, Mokona?"

The little creature continued to frown, concentrating for a moment before shaking his head. "Mokona doesn't know," he said mournfully, "There's strange energy all around."

"Then we'd better start looking for a town." Kurogane stepped in front of the group, arms crossed over his chest, surveying the area. But before leaving to go anywhere, he gave Syaoran a glance out of the corner of his eye.

Syaoran blinked, thrown off by the attention. A hand strayed unconsciously toward his own eye, where pain still lingered. "You're right. Shelter is important in the weather here. The town isn't far..." He pulled himself to his feet with effort, though he tried not to make his pain visible to his companions.

_But what will we find when we get there? Will everyone still be there?_

_...will anyone?_

"Shall we go, princess?" he asked, holding out a hand for her, struggling to keep his worries hidden deep inside. She looked at him for a long moment, and he would never know the expression that passed across her eyes, but finally she nodded and smiled.

"Yes."

* * *

Travel was difficult. The desert sun beat down on them mercilessly, and despite their covering, Syaoran could feel his skin burn and crack. They should have reached the town long ago--Syaoran knew the path between the garden and the castle well. But the lack of anything besides unrelenting sand made his heart freeze in his chest and his hand tighten unconsciously around Sakura's. 

If she noticed, she said nothing.

For their part, the two adults were strangely quiet. Kurogane mumbled under his breath about the heat and the fact that the white manjuu had decided to nest in his shirt, which just added to the unpleasantness. Fye would tease him every now and then, but his eyes roamed the area and his mind seemed elsewhere. Syaoran wanted to ask what was wrong, but every time he looked at the magician, the older man would catch his eye and smile and shake his head.

And they would continue on in silence.

It scared Syaoran that they had still found absolutely nothing when they should have reached the castle long before. He thought about modifying their route; maybe he'd gone the wrong way?

He didn't want to think that there might not be a castle to return to.

Sakura continued to hold his hand as they walked, squeezing it occasionally--usually whenever he began to think about just how far they'd gone and how little they'd seen. She didn't break the silence that had fallen over the group, but her smile made him feel better than any words could have. And sometimes she added to it with a soft, "I'm sure we'll get there soon."

But as time continued to pass and not even a plant was seen, even the princess began to grow worried. She kept looking at him, and her smiles seemed less genuine. "How are you feeling, princess?" he would ask, but she would just say that she was fine and keep watching him.

And Syaoran kept walking, wiping at his brow as they went along, keeping his pace easy because the princess was walking with him. Or at least, that was what he told himself. They had to keep moving, after all; there was no choice. So it didn't matter how hard it was getting to keep walking, or how often his eye sent twinges of pain through his body. He couldn't stop, and he wouldn't.

It was only when Sakura started desperately calling his name and everything began to blur together that he stopped, turning to reassure her that everything was fine and collapsing to the ground in a heap.

* * *

"He should be fine soon, Sakura-chan." 

_"Sakura-san, come away. He'll wake soon."_

"But he's so warm..."

_"He's burning up..."_

"He'll be fine, Sakura-chan. Come away."

_"He will be okay, Sakura-san. Please come away."_

"Syaoran-kun..."

_"Syaoran..."_

* * *

Water fell somewhere--a constant drip that echoed in the emptiness. Syaoran stood ankle-deep in a pool so still it was like glass, with only an eerie, ambient light allowing him to see anything at all. He took a step to either side, and still the mirror-surface did not break, and when he called out, his voice was swallowed in the darkness. 

And when he looked down, a boy with an eyepatch and tattoos reached up towards him.

Syaoran stared, eyes transfixed on the image. The boy stopped moving, arm raised toward the surface, and locked his gaze with Syaoran's. A black cloth covered his left eye, but his right met Syaoran's perfectly. And as Syaoran watched, the arm lined in red tattoos resumed its ascent. Syaoran wanted to pull back, to move away from the water, and he fought desperately to do so, but he could not move. His body refused to respond to anything he said to it. All he could do was look into that brown right eye, the one that held the sight that his did not. The one that mirrored his perfectly, but did not... He could see things in that eye, things that made him shudder, made him fear. Just like before, he could see that it held death--not his, never his, but the death of all those who were important to him. One by one, dying in that gaze, fading. And it was all his fault.

The boy's hand reached the surface, and as Syaoran watched in horror, unable to stop the movement, his own moved down to meet it, and they touched.

Suddenly, the water surged up to meet him, and Syaoran tumbled into the pool, toward the image, his body consumed in an instant. He gasped for air, wanting to fight his way back to the surface, but he still _couldn't move_, even as he fell, deeper and deeper. Even as his body grew sluggish from the lack of air and spots obscured his gaze.

He could still feel the boy's hand in his as the water overcame him and his vision finally faded to black.


	2. What was Lost

Disclaimer: We don't own _Tsubasa Chronicle._ Also, the lyrics featured at the beginning are from a translation of the song _Rakuen_ (Paradise) by the fabulous Do As Infinity. The translators at Mognet(dot)net have generously given us permission to include their translation. Thank you, Mognet!

This fic takes place directly after episode 26 of the anime, so at the end of season 1.

* * *

**Blindly We Step Forward  
By: Hane no Miko (link no miko + Koorino Megumi)**

_Aim for a paradise that you can't yet see  
Somewhere in this endlessly expanding world  
We'll walk there  
No matter how far away _

Don't turn away, look ahead  
Until your body falls apart  
You'll live on  
Toward the future

**Chapter 2: What was Lost**

Water was dribbling into his eyes. Syaoran put a hand up in alarm, trying to ward off the wetness, but to his surprise, he found an arm above him, holding a wet cloth to his forehead.

"Oi, kid," Kurogane said, drawing his attention. The samurai sat beside him, arms folded across his chest, his sword and Syaoran's being used as makeshift poles to suspend the dark cloak over them as shelter. Sakura was on his other side, still holding the damp cloth over his head.

"Kurogane-san...?"

"Next time you pull a stunt like that," the gruff man said, expression never changing, "don't."

Syaoran tried to smile but couldn't, the skin of his face burned and raw. "I won't."

"Syaoran-kun..." Sakura began, and he turned to face her, still trying to smile. "Are you okay...? Fye-san said you'd be okay, but..."

The boy nodded. "Yes, I'm fine. The heat must have gotten to me, that's all." He blinked and pointed at the hand holding the cloth. "But where did you find water...?"

"Mokona did!" the white creature declared happily, jumping up from his place behind Sakura. "Mokona saw Syaoran fall down and whoooom, Mokona found some water while Kuromyuu made a tent with his cloak!"

"Kuro_gane_, you damn white manjuu bun!"

"Kuromyuu, Kuromyuu!"

"Come here, you little-"

"As you can see, the water and shelter have given us all a chance to rest," Fye stated, smiling as he moved over toward Syaoran, ignoring the chase that had broken out between the samurai and the white creature. "How are you feeling? You've given your body quite a beating."

Syaoran frowned, trying to sit up. "I'm fine," he repeated, though his body protested his movements.

Sakura kept the cloth firmly on his forehead. "You need to rest, Syaoran-kun," she commented, softly but sadly, "You'll make yourself sick if you just keep going like this."

The sadness in her voice, more than the weakness in his limbs, convinced him to relax against the sand, basking in the cloth's coolness. "Is everyone else feeling okay?" he asked.

The princess nodded. "We're fine," she assured him, "Would you like a drink?" It was only then, with her beside him, taking care of him, that he realized that the worry she'd been showing on the walk hadn't been about the lack of civilization. She'd been worrying about him all along.

"Princess..."

She looked away, getting him a drink from the canteen by her side, and his hand started to lift to touch her face before he stopped himself. It wasn't proper, it wasn't allowed, it wasn't--

_--the arm lined in red tattoos resumed its ascent._

He recoiled, clutching his hand to his chest as she turned to face him, a smile as fake as Fye's on her face.

"Here...this will help."

Syaoran licked his lips and nodded, sitting up to sip from the canteen that she placed to his lips, the water cool against his parched throat. She pulled it away a few moments later, and he smiled at her, feeling refreshed from just that.

"Thank you."

"So," Fye said, making himself more comfortable, "we decided to stay here for the rest of the day and head out when the sun goes down. Rest up until then, and if you're still not well, we'll just have to stay longer." He grinned. "Kuromyuu won't mind, I'm sure."

"I really am fine," the boy started, but Fye reached out and pushed him back. Syaoran's head touched something soft, and it was only after the older man had removed his hand that he realized his head was rested on his princess's lap.

"I'm sorry," he apologized instinctively, but at the look on the girl's face, he quickly changed it to a soft, "Thank you."

Sakura smiled for him again, dabbing at his forehead with the cloth. "Just get some rest. Syaoran-kun always fights so hard...he never leaves any time to take care of himself."

Syaoran frowned at her expression. "I'll be sure to rest up, so we can leave again soon," he assured her.

His princess's smile widened. "Good."

So Syaoran attempted to relax, unable to help but feel his princess's soft dress against his hair and gentle fingertips brushing his forehead. He tried to tell himself that this was okay, that he was sick and she was only doing this because there was nothing else for him to rest on but sand. And he thought about protesting. She needed to be able to get up, and she shouldn't have to stay with him the whole time he was sleeping... But he didn't open his mouth, enjoying the feeling too much to argue against it.

And, slowly, he drifted back to sleep, his right eye still twinging.

* * *

Syaoran opened his eyes to pale, ambient light. He stood in a large room, dark but for the many hundreds of mirrors around him, reflecting and refracting the strange, sourceless glow. The boy spun in a circle slowly, trying to take in his surroundings, to find some way out or some clue as to where he was and _why, please why_, but all he saw was himself, front and back and side and every angle. 

And then he saw _him_, frozen in the mirrors even as Syaoran spun, face placid as he watched his double.

The young archaeologist stopped, taking a defensive position before he fully realized what he was doing. His double simply watched him, clothing moving slowly, fluidly, as though suspended in something.

"Who...?"

The sound shattered the stillness, thousands of shards of glass simultaneously breaking away and showering him in glinting light, and when he could see again, only a few mirrors remained.

His double stood in all of them.

Syaoran started running, eyes darting every which way to find an opening, an exit, _anything,_ but all he found was glass and his own placid expression facing him.

And then they were there, too. Lying broken and bloody at his own--_never his own, not his_--feet. First Kurogane, his sword unrecognizable from the heap of flesh. Then Fye, white coat stained irreparably red. Mokona, Masayoshi, Chunyang, Ryuuou...the sick parade continued on until Syaoran slid to a halt, a mirror blocking his path.

And in this one, the one standing above Sakura, smiling insanely, was him.

Syaoran fell to the ground, head clutched in his hands, sobs wracking his frame as his double emerged from the mirror, lunging forward and into Syaoran before the boy could move to defend himself.

He could feel something inside of him then, something cold. It held him still again, his tears frozen on his face. Or so he thought, until he realized the wetness he felt was not just on his cheeks.

There was water all around him, engulfing him. Was he drowning again? But his lungs didn't cry for air, and the water was gentle around his limbs, soothing him, suspending him. All he felt was calm. This was where he belonged, wasn't it? Inside the water. After all, there wasn't that much, just enough for him. The air was right there, on the other side, but it wasn't for him.

At the thought, Syaoran opened his eye--Was that his right? But why wasn't the left working?--and peered out before him, seeing the sheet of glass, the image on the other side obscured by the water. He raised a hand, forgetting that he couldn't move, only to find that he could now reach out toward that blurry image.

There was a sudden cry--wasn't that his own voice?--and broken mirrors were all around him again, the water gone. But as Syaoran watched in horror, his reaching hand continued to move, on its own now, completely out of his control. And it reached down to pick up a piece of glass, immediately swinging it up toward his face...

* * *

When he woke the others were all around him, their faces nearly lost in the shadow of Kurogane's cloak. He sat up slowly, a hand flying to his eye on instinct as the pain wracked his head, and even Sakura's hands on his arms barely made any impact on his senses. 

He only paused when a rock dropped from his nearly-senseless fingers.

"Syaoran-kun...?"

He waved her concern away, forcing a smile to his face as he let his hands drop and ignored the rock. He couldn't ignore the warm blood he felt trailing down his cheek. "I'm fine, princess, please don't worry about me."

"How can you say that...?"

"Sakura-chan is right," Fye said, his soft voice echoing in the stillness. "You gave us quite a scare, Syaoran-kun. Sakura-chan's been by your side since you passed out." The boy wasn't sure whether to be grateful or not that the older man didn't mention what they could all see.

Syaoran looked more closely at the princess, a real smile finding its way to his eyes. "Thank you, princess. But really, I'm--"

"If you value your health, you won't finish that sentence," Kurogane growled, and Mokona made a quip about "Scary Kurowan!" from his place on the samurai's shoulder. When the boy went to reply, the older man just shrugged and started walking off.

Fye smiled quietly and stood. "I'll leave you two be. Dinner will be ready soon. I'm making my specialty." And with a wink, the magician was gone, following after Kurogane. Sakura and Syaoran watched them go, both trying to smile at the way the two constantly fought. Neither of them really managed to.

"It's fun to see them be so carefree," Syaoran said when the adults were out of earshot.

"It's fun to see Syaoran-kun be carefree, too," Sakura replied, the smile gone from her face as she watched him intently, hands lifted to touch his cheek. He hissed in pain and pulled away. "Syaoran-kun, what happened?"

The boy shook his head and fought to smile. "Nothing, princess. Please don't worry."

"But I _do_ worry! When you yelled and collapsed, I worried so much! And now your eye! You..."

Syaoran watched her, eyes narrowing sadly, and he surprised himself as well as her when his hand lifted to brush the hair away from her face. "Shh, it's ok, I promise. I..." His hand fell to his side, and he smiled. "I promise you, I'm okay now."

He could tell she didn't fully believe him, but she nodded anyway. She left him for a moment and returned with the canteen of water and some clean strips of cloth. He would have asked where they came from, except that he noticed the edge of her skirt as she kneeled beside him. "If anything ever happens, if you're ever hurt, please tell me. Don't hide your pain from me."

Memories of nearly those exact words echoed through his head, and he fought to keep the smile in place, to hold onto the broken expression he'd long been clinging to for support, as she wrapped his wound in soft white silk.

"Yes, princess." _Always, for you._

* * *

Farther away, Fye watched the two tiny specks huddled beneath the makeshift lean-to and smiled to himself. Kurogane just growled from his place a few feet away, Mokona still perched happily on his head. 

"What're you smiling about?"

"Hmm? Oh, nothing Kurotan. You wouldn't understand it, anyway."

"Like hell I wouldn't! You know something, don't you?"

Fye turned around and made his way over to the irate samurai, sitting down opposite the other man. "What makes you say that?"

"You're a loon, but you're not an idiot. You noticed something wrong with the boy just as well as I did. And I'm not," he added, glaring, "just talking about him trying to stab his own eye out."

"Mmmm, that might be true." Kurogane growled, and Mokona huddled close. Fye just chuckled faintly. "I think that our little Syaoran-kun saw something he wasn't expecting."

Kurogane arched an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

The magician smiled again, as he always did. "Sometimes things we see are so devastating, we'd do anything to forget." The samurai frowned, and then his eyes widened as he realized what Fye meant. "I thought Syaoran-kun was stronger than that, though."

"Tch."

"Aww, Kurowanwan doesn't believe in Syaoran-kun?"

"Shut the hell up with those damn pet names!"

Fye leaned over and patted the samurai's hair down flat against his head. "You're just embarrassed because you like them."

"DAMMIT, DIE!"

"Waaah, Kuromimi is trying to kiiiilll meee!"

"Kurotan is chasing Fye! Mokona wants to chase Fye, too!"

Fye laughed, continuing to run in circles through the sand, despite the fact that he seemed completely unconcerned by his sword-wielding pursuer. "I have another job for you, Mokona."

The white creature's ears perked up. "Mokona likes jobs!"

Fye smiled, stopping abruptly and stepping to the side, Kurogane just barely overtaking him before he stopped and glared. "I can't make dinner if I don't have anything to cook with. Do you think you could help us get dinner tonight?"

Mokona positively beamed. "Mokona can help!" he cheered. Then he abruptly began to breathe in a large gust of air. The sand around them was swept off the ground, flowing into his mouth, and Fye and Kurogane's clothing was ruffled by the stream. Then Mokona closed his mouth, immediately reopening it again to produce a full meal.

"Hyuu hyuu!" Fye sang, clapping.

"It's one of Mokona's 108 special techniques," the white manjuu declared proudly.

Kurogane just scowled, so Mokona grabbed a slice of bread and jumped over onto his head, nibbling at it furiously so that crumbs ran down onto his support.

For the samurai's part, he just flicked the white creature off his head and plopped down onto the ground.

"This still doesn't help us about the kid."

Fye paused in the act of eating a sandwich, eyeing the dark-clad man before him. "No, it doesn't. But there's not much we can do, either." He lowered the food and grinned. "So I say we eat!"

Kurogane glared, meeting Fye's gaze, and finally gave a nasty-sounding "Tch!" before standing and walking away.

"I'm scouting. I'll be back later."

"Biee Kurotan! Don't get looost!"

Mokona bounced over to Fye as the blond man waved amiably and tugged on his sleeve. "Ne, Fye."

The man looked down, expression reserved as he scooped their traveling companion up. "I don't know, Mokona. I really don't." _Although I wish I did._

Mokona frowned, but then he looked up at Fye. "Then we should invite Syaoran and Sakura to eat with us!"

Fye smiled, standing. "You're right. Let's go get them."

* * *

They were walking again, the same as before. The only difference now was that, not only was the princess holding the archaeologist's hand and watching him, but both the dark-clad samurai and the cheerful magician were keeping an eye on him as well, albeit more discreetly. Syaoran just continued forward, uncomfortable under their gazes. His right eye still throbbed, but the food and water had made him feel much more energized, and the rest had probably helped. And somehow he felt more comfortable now that his eye was covered. The bandage had been tied very carefully. He fingered it now and then, but his princess usually gave him a look when he did, not wanting him to accidentally undo it. Syaoran hated to see her and the others worry so much, especially over him. So he tried his best to look like it was any other time they'd been traveling, hoping that maybe, if he stayed well enough, they would forget about what had happened. 

Or maybe if he pretended it hadn't happened, he could forget. And it wouldn't happen again...

For hours they saw nothing but sand, but suddenly, from his accustomed perch on Kurogane's head, Mokona jumped into the air, letting out an excited cry. "Look, look! A city! Mokona sees a city!"

The party stopped, all eyes turning to their little friend. "Really? That's wonderful!" Sakura declared happily, clapping her hands together once. Fye made his hyuu noise and Kurogane grunted.

"Where, Mokona?" Syaoran asked, kneeling by the small creature. "How far away?"

"Mokona sees it that way!" He pointed ahead and to the left, bouncing happy. "And it's not far, not far at all! If we hurry we'll make it before the sun can get buuuuurning hot again!"

Syaoran stood, turning to his princess and smiling--for real, this time. "We-- You're almost home, princess. By noon, surely." _Please let there be a family to return to..._

Sakura beamed at him, and tears pricked her eyes as she leaned forward and caught him in a loose embrace. His face turned scarlet, but he hugged her back, arms wrapping around her shoulders. At the contact, however, pain surged through him, and he cried out, his eye burning as he pulled away from the startled girl, Fye and Kurogane instantly on alert.

"Syaoran-kun...!"

"Stay back!" he yelled, hand clutching at his face. "Something...something's wrong...!"

"Syaoran-kun..." his princess repeated, stepping toward him in concern, "What is it? Are you hurt?"

"Stay away!" he cried again, flailing an arm in her direction, not wanting to hurt her but knowing the most important thing right now was to keep her _away_ from him.

He would not let the visions he had seen come true.

Pain continued to surge through his body, and Syaoran fell to his knees, his hand tearing at his face, ruining the bandage Sakura had so carefully placed over his eye. "Stay away from me..."

He knew there was something behind the pain. He could feel something--someone--_inside_ him, and it was fighting to get out. And he knew that if it had to, it would tear him apart to do so.

_Who are you? Leave me alone!_

For an instant, he saw it all again--first falling into the water, tumbling into the reflection that was him but was not at the same time. Then the mirrors, and the being that had merged with him. Reality returned after that, but the pain only intensified, and Syaoran felt the world growing distant around him. It was not the sensation he felt when he was passing out. The world was not hazy, just _distant_, as if he could no longer reach it or affect it.

_No..._

And as he watched in horror from inside, his body slowly stood, reaching up to remove the bandage from around his eye.

"Syaoran-kun?" Sakura asked immediately, looking at him in worry. And as Syaoran continued to watch, she began to approach him.

_No, princess! Don't!_

But Sakura didn't hear him, couldn't, and continued to take small steps until Kurogane was there, an arm held before her as he unsheathed his sword. Fye also looked ready for battle, amiable expression gone as his eyes never left Syaoran's.

"Back, girl," Kurogane growled at her, and Syaoran felt a jolt of anger that he would treat her in such a way. The being inside him felt it too, and Syaoran watched as his hands dropped to his sides, bandage half-removed, his body falling into an easy stance.

He cried out at the same time his body moved, rushing towards Kurogane and his princess with a feeling swelling in him that Syaoran had never felt before.

He wanted to hurt Kurogane.

No. Kill.

His left leg swung up with a speed Syaoran didn't know he possessed, aimed right at the samurai's head, and all the boy could do was watch.

Surprise flashed through Kurogane's eyes at the move, but the man's own skills were by no means average. He moved his head to the side to avoid a full blow, simultaneously drawing his sword, the kick connecting directly with the blade. Kurogane took a quick step back, pushing Sakura with him and narrowly avoiding the loss of his sword from the weight of Syaoran's blow. But Syaoran was not done. His moves were nimble and fluid as he pivoted and gave a small jump, coming at Kurogane again.

_What am I doing? Why can't I stop this?_

"Get back!" Kurogane snapped at Sakura as he continued to deflect and dodge the blows, struggling to draw Syaoran away from the girl. His sword connected with Syaoran's ankle, and the boy let out a cry, faltering just barely.

"Syaoran-kun!"

"I said _get back_!"

But the princess seemed rooted to the spot, staring in shock and horror into Syaoran's face, as if he were the only one there.

Syaoran watched her desperately, wanting nothing more than to get her out of harm's way. _Princess, please listen to Kurogane. You could get hurt!_

But he had no voice to tell her any such thing.

"You really shouldn't stand so close, Sakura-chan."

Both Syaoran and the princess were momentarily distracted from the battle as Fye suddenly came up behind her, wrapping his arms around the girl and easily lifting her, jumping back to a safe distance. Syaoran felt a surge of relief at the sight, but something else welled up inside him at the same time.

Where had Fye gotten the idea that he could touch her like that? How dare he!

Syaoran instantly switched his objective, pivoting mid-attack to instead charge at the magician, eyes narrowed dangerously, dead and empty. Fye only smiled as he quickly released the princess and jumped before her, charging straight at the younger man.

Deep inside his soul, Syaoran was screaming.

And then Kurogane was there, his arms hooking around Syaoran's and lifting, pulling the boy up and twisting his arms in a painful way. He cried out, the sound foreign to Syaoran's ears, and Fye kept coming, a sad smile on his face. The magician dodged the poorly aimed kick, and Syaoran hissed in pain as his arms twisted even more to a popping sound.

"I'm very sorry, Syaoran-kun," Fye's soft voice said, right beside his ear, and Syaoran had the time to turn and snarl at him before a hand punched into his gut and up, towards his diaphragm, and the world went black.

* * *

He was in front of the mirror again, his body unresponsive despite his attempts to pull it away from it. His hands were plastered against the glass, as if they wanted to reach through it, ignoring his inner cries that it was the last thing he wanted to do. 

And the other him--the one who had attacked Fye and Kurogane; his own reflection?--was on the other side, hands pressed up right against his. It watched him, face blank.

_Let me go!_

"No."

Syaoran blinked, startled by the voice that had come when his own body still refused to produce a sound. The other's expression didn't change, but his mouth was moving, the words clearly coming from him.

"You want her."

There was no emotion in the voice; the words were not an accusation. They simply _were_. And Syaoran could not bring himself to reply.

"I'll take her from you."

Syaoran gasped, though no sound emerged from his body. He fought harder against whatever held him, but still to no avail. _Leave her alone!_

And for the first time, an expression began to enter the other's face. He began to smirk.

_"What do you think will happen?"_

_"We'll have to wait and see, Sakura-chan."_

_"But Syaoran-kun..."_

"What do you think will happen?"

_Princess..._


	3. What was Changed

Disclaimer: We don't own _Tsubasa Chronicle._ Also, the lyrics featured at the beginning are from a translation of the song _Rakuen_ (Paradise) by the fabulous Do As Infinity. The translators at Mognet(dot)net have generously given us permission to include their translation. Thank you, Mognet!

This fic takes place directly after episode 26 of the anime, so at the end of season 1. And this last chapter is extra special, as it is devoted to our wonderful friend Ginger Ninja in honor of her upcoming birthday. Hope you enjoy it, Gin!

* * *

**Blindly We Step Forward  
By: Hane no Miko (link no miko + Koorino Megumi)**

_Aim for a paradise that you can't yet see  
Somewhere in this endlessly expanding world  
We'll walk there  
No matter how far away _

Don't turn away, look ahead  
Until your body falls apart  
You'll live on  
Toward the future

**Chapter 3: What was Changed**

He woke slowly, painfully, something heavy weighing him down, centered over his chest. When he stirred the weight did as well, and the first thing Syaoran saw was Fye's smiling face above his own.

"Morning, Syaoran-kun."

It was only then that he realized Fye was the weight on his chest. The magician was pinning him to the ground, knees tucked up under his chin and his feet planted on Syaoran's left side. But the majority of his weight was on the boy's stomach.

"F-Fye...san...?"

"Oi!" Suddenly the weight was gone, only to be replaced by a much lighter, much more familiar one as Mokona took Fye's place, the magician hauled away by Kurogane.

"The hell were you doing!"

"Making sure he didn't try to attack me again."

"By _sitting_ on him?"

"Mokona suggested it!"

"Syaoran," said creature spoke up, drawing the boy's attention away from the dueling adults, "are you okay now? Mokona and everyone were so worried."

He tried to smile but winced instead. His ribs hurt, and with the pain came the memory of _why_. "I...I'm okay, Mokona. Thank you."

The creature nodded, although he obviously didn't believe Syaoran. And he was about to say something, his expression unusually serious, when Sakura crawled into view, and just as quickly Mokona was smiling again as he bounced over to her.

"Sakura, did you see? Syaoran woke up!"

The princess nodded with a smile, crawling over beside the boy. She didn't hesitate at all, despite what had happened before, and seeing this, Syaoran felt a pang in his heart.

_Of course she isn't afraid of me. Sakura could never be afraid of a friend..._

"How are you feeling?" she asked, peering down at him with concern.

"I'm okay," he assured her quickly. He did not try to sit up, fearful of what might happen if he did. "And I'm sorry..."

The princess's eyes widened, and she frowned sadly, clasping her hands before her. "Syaoran-kun shouldn't be sorry!" she cried, "You just need to rest and get better..."

Syaoran blinked in surprise at that, but before he could reply, Fye came up behind her. He put a hand on her shoulder, gazing at Syaoran over her with his usual smile. "Sakura-chan is right," he stated, "Syaoran-kun needs to think about his health now and then."

Syaoran put his hands up, unable to help being embarrassed at all the attention. "Really, I'm fine now!"

_"He's touching her again."_

The boy's eyes widened, and he caught Fye's look in response, although he tried to hide his slip.

_It's not all right...something is still wrong._

_It's not safe for them to be near me!_

Syaoran tried to sit up then, ignoring the pain that shot through his ribs. "We still need to find out if this world has a feather! There's no need to worry so much."

"Kid," Kurogane growled from his other side, and Syaoran turned his face to look up at the swordsman. "Shut up and lie down. You aren't going anywhere, not with a cracked rib and heat stroke." The archaeologist opened his mouth to protest, but Kurogane cut him off with a glare. "A good fighter knows when to rest. Don't make yourself an idiot because of this."

"Aww Kuromyuu, that's so meean."

"Kuro_gane_ dammit!"

"They're right, though," Sakura said quietly as she laid something cool and wet against his forehead, Mokona, Fye and Kurogane bickering in the background. The damp rag felt good and relaxed him immensely, and he made no protests as she continued to tend to him. "Syaoran-kun should take it easier."

"I know..."

_"You don't."_

"But you don't, Syaoran-kun." He blinked and looked at her, fear creeping into his eyes before he could beat it back down. The presence inside him smirked. "You push yourself so hard and...and sometimes you don't even realize, and it's not healthy."

"Princess..."

"I know I can't do much, and that like I am I have to depend on you, but..." She wrung out the rag and placed it against his forehead without looking at him. "Please depend on me too sometimes. Don't take it all on yourself."

Syaoran's heart beat faster, and suddenly all he could hear was his own voice, hollow and emotionless as it talked back to him from a twin face that was his and not at the same time. _"You want her." _

_No. I won't let you hurt her!_

_"I'll take her from you."_

The coolness suddenly felt like fire, and he closed his eyes, trying to push it away. To push _him_ away.

"I won't, princess," he said, opening his eyes and smiling for her. Always, just for her. "I promise. But...I'm tired now. Could you...?" He hated lying to her, hated that he had to do this, but if she was near him, if he let her stay...

_I won't let her get hurt..._

Sakura smiled back at him and nodded. "Syaoran-kun should rest when he's tired." She took the cloth from his head for a moment, redampening it before carefully replacing it on his forehead. "Good night."

Syaoran kept the smile on his face, even as he felt the other within him stirring, whispering words that he would never share. "Good night, princess."

And the princess stepped away, her hands still clasped with worry, though she smiled at him. He forced himself to keep smiling back.

But then another voice interrupted with, "Sleep tight!" and Syaoran was distracted from watching his princess as Mokona bounced over to him, jumping onto his stomach. The light body collided just below his ribs, and Syaoran briefly wondered if even Mokona was being careful or if that was simply how it had happened. "Mokona wants to sleep, too!" the manjuu bun declared brightly, lying down against him.

The boy smiled, momentarily forgetting his fear for the others' safety as he took the creature in his hands. "Then Mokona should rest as well," he commented, and Mokona beamed at him before settling against him.

Calmed by the creature's presence, Syaoran closed his eyes. He could still feel the other within him, but his body had been put through too much and demanded rest. And with a friend so close, somehow he felt that it would be safe to give into that desire. Relaxing, arms still around the white manjuu, Syaoran allowed himself to drift off to sleep.

* * *

Things were hard to see--hazy, indistinct. But there was a dim pinprick of light ahead, and he knew that if he could just touch it, everything would be clear. All he had to do was reach it... 

He felt a presence pass near him, and he turned quickly, reaching out to grab it, but his fingers touched upon nothing, and the feeling was gone. Unable to make sense of what it had been, he took a step forward and gasped as arms encircled him, their point of origin unknown. All he knew was that they were strong and steady and that they were pulling him further into the darkness.

And then the light was gone.

* * *

Sakura awoke with a start, a small gasp escaping her before smooth, warm hands gently covered her mouth, and she looked up to see Syaoran kneeling beside her, a finger to his lips. Beyond his hand she could see that he was smiling, and her own expression softened as she nodded and he took his hand away. 

"Syaoran--" she started to say in her softest whisper, but he shook his head and put a finger against her lips, still smiling. Something flashed in his eyes, but she didn't understand it, and then he was standing and urging her up too, holding her hand gently. She stood as silently as she could, confused, but his soft smile eased her fears, and she nodded when he pointed away from camp, in the direction they had been traveling towards.

In the dark, she never noticed the way his left eye gleamed, dead to the world.

As the princess followed the archaeologist away from their small camp and into the cold desert, she suddenly felt something brush against her leg and let out a gasp.

Syaoran turned immediately, eyes concerned, but Sakura broke out into a smile as Mokona jumped into her arms. "Mokona wants to go, too!" the creature whispered, his cheerfulness obvious even in his soft words. The girl nodded, holding him against her, and turned back to Syaoran, smiling brightly to show him that everything was okay. He smiled as well, and they continued on their way.

As they got progressively farther from camp, however, Sakura began to feel concerned. She trusted Syaoran, of course, but wasn't this quite a bit of extra walking that they would have to do over again tomorrow with Fye and Kurogane? And what if Syaoran got sick again, way out here, when she was the only one with him? "Syaoran--" she started, but again he put a finger to his lips. Frustrated, she continued with a timid, "But aren't we a little far?"

He just shook his head, taking her hand in his to urge her on, and for the first time all journey, the girl began to feel a bit disconcerted by his silence. They were clearly so far out that no one would hear them, so why wouldn't he say anything?

However, in her arms, a certain white manjuu was singing softly but cheerfully about the stars in the sky and how he wanted to fly across it among them, and his obvious unconcern calmed her somewhat. If something was wrong, Mokona would surely react to it.

And then suddenly Sakura was faced with the sight of what Syaoran had taken her so far out to see.

The Ruins were huge, like giant wings curving up to kiss the sky. Even in the dark of night they glowed with their own light, bright like the stars, and she couldn't stop a gasp of surprise at seeing them. They were beautiful, so very terribly beautiful, but they scared her too, deep down in the part of her soul that had never truly left her.

Mokona continued to sing.

"Sy-Syaoran--" Again, he cut her off. As he pulled his hand away, Sakura frowned, lifting her own fingers to brush against her lips. They felt cold somehow when before they'd been so warm. When had his hands become so cold...?

_D-don't doubt him! He's helping you, he's always helping you. Syaoran-kun would never hurt you._

_...But why...does this feel so wrong...?_

He grabbed her hand then, fingers soft and gentle against hers, but so very cold, and they began walking towards the Ruins, Syaoran leading the way silently.

And still Mokona sang.

She let Syaoran direct her down into the Ruins, into a corridor with a round symbol in the middle of the floor.

_Are those...wings?_

Syaoran stopped then, turning to her with a smile, and began to slowly kneel on the symbol, bringing her down with him. Confused, Sakura set a hand on the floor to steady herself as they knelt down, and suddenly everything changed. A tone rang throughout the room, a beautiful sound, reaching to her very soul.

_Is it...calling me?_

The world grew hazy around her, but at the same time so very, very clear, and suddenly Mokona's singing was gone, replaced with only the tone, and Syaoran's silence seemed perfectly appropriate. His hand was warm in hers. And as Sakura let the sound carry her away, she dimly realized that the floor was opening below her. But that was what was supposed to happen, wasn't it? They were both sinking into a deeper chamber, to the place where she would find the sound.

_It is...it's calling me..._

The world grew more and more distant, but Sakura didn't mind. She let her body move on its own, under Syaoran's lead, as she was fully engulfed in that beautiful sound.

_Its call...I'll answer it..._

And with that her will was entirely consumed.

* * *

He watched her through eyes that were no longer his, watched her follow him and _trust_ him, and he screamed at her to stop, turn around, _run away_ and please just go, but she didn't. He was a fool to think she would. 

And then they entered the Ruins, entered that room that had taken her away from him so long ago, and something inside him snapped even as he heard the gentle, beautiful song.

They landed softly, so differently from the last time he'd been here, and they both stood. Syaoran railed and fought the presence within him even as it easily shoved him back, taking Sakura's hand and leading her towards the wall he'd saved her from.

_No. No, not there! No, don't take her away from me again!_

_"You shouldn't have separated yourself from her, then."_

_...What?_

_"You pushed her away on your own. I picked her up."_

_That's not true!_

Sakura made a sound beside him, and he looked over at her. The girl's eyes had closed, and she released his hand, her arms lifting at her sides as though moved by a strange wind. Before them, the wall shimmered and warped until the surface shone, bright and clear as a mirror, and Syaoran gasped.

Because the people looking back at them were not their reflections.

There was a man with an eyeglass, only his head visible through the mirror. He must have been sitting, for he was lower than the dark-haired woman whose face Syaoran could see just behind him. They were both watching, their expressions full of anticipation, as Sakura floated closer to the mirror, her fingertips brushing across the surface and beginning to _sink within it._

_No! She won't be taken from me! Not ever again!_

Syaoran screamed and screamed inside, but the other just sneered, ignoring him as he watched the princess go, his eyes shining.

_"First she will go, and then I will follow. We will go home together."_

That is not her home! "Isn't it? And what home did she ever have with you?" 

Syaoran struggled desperately, fighting against the presence controlling his body, but it continued to hold him back as if it took no effort to do so.

_"It's too late. You've already lost her."_

Sakura's arms had gone into the mirror now, and she was still moving, her face just inches from it. The other was right. She was leaving him, right before his eyes, and _he could do nothing to save her._

No. NO! I won't lose her. I will NEVER let her go! 

Sakura's body was nearly gone, the surface around her rippling like liquid. Syaoran's body _wrenched_, and he screamed, both in his head and out loud, the twin presence within him crying out in shock and pain. And then he was moving, running so fast it hurt, his arms reaching out and touching her, looping around her stomach--the mirror felt so cold, _so cold_, like ice and crystal and death--and then he was pulling her back, flinging his body as far away from the wall as he could.

They landed hard, and all the air was pushed from his lungs as his princess landed against him once again, silent and expressionless. Through the ripples in the wall, he could see that the strange bespeckled man had stood, rage distorting his features more than the mirror did, and the woman's eyes were narrowed in calculation.

"_Boy_!" the man said, his voice harsh and strained through his clenched teeth. Syaoran gently lifted Sakura away from him so he could stand and then pulled the girl up into his arms and turned to face the man.

"I will not let you take her. _Not ever_."

The man's eyes flashed as he stared the boy down. "I don't see how you can stop us, Syaoran."

He felt a kick to his gut at the man's words--pain and anger and confusion and so many emotions jumbled together he could never hope to sort them out. And inside he felt that other presence--that him that was not him--laugh, and even though he _knew_, he still had to ask.

"How...do you know my name...?"

The man smirked. "You know who I am," he replied simply, "And that _this_," his hand lifted and pointed towards Syaoran, and the boy knew the man meant his own defiance--his own _control_, "will never happen again."

The mirror began to fade then, the man and the woman disappearing as the pattern of wings resumed its place on the wall. At the same time, Syaoran heard a grinding sound coming from above him, and as he looked up in shock, he found that the passage that they had come down through was closing above them--and quickly.

Cradling the unconscious Sakura in his arms, Syaoran prepared to jump back up, running as fast as he could toward the opening. But even as he drew close, he could see that it was going too fast for him to make it.

But we have to get out of here! 

"Kid, would you hurry the hell up?"

Syaoran's eyes widened at the voice, and as he watched in surprise, a very familiar sword was suddenly wedged in the opening, slowing the movement of the two slabs.

"We're coming!" he called in response, his determination renewed. He sped up to gain momentum, and then, carefully judging the angle as best as his vision could, he jumped, holding Sakura tightly against him.

_I'll keep you safe._

Arms reached down to catch his outstretched one, and suddenly he was up and over the lip of the opening and Kurogane had wrenched his sword away. Sakura lay clutched against him, Mokona and Fye close by. The small white creature held one stubby hand to Sakura's forehead, a frown creasing his usually happy expression, and Fye removed his coat to lay over Syaoran's shoulders and Sakura's legs.

"Sakura..."

"What happened down there, Syaoran-kun?" Fye asked, voice light as usual, but his eyes and face held a seriousness the boy rarely saw.

"I..."

"No time," Kurogane interrupted, hurrying past them. "We're getting out of here and far away. _Then_ we're gonna sit down and you're gonna explain _exactly_ what the hell you were doing." His glare left no room for argument, and so Syaoran nodded and stood on shaky legs, holding his princess tightly against him with the magician's coat over her. Mokona huddled on his shoulder.

"Well then, I think we should hurry," Fye said quietly and started after the taller man, Syaoran following in his wake.

He didn't look back.

But as they walked out into the desert, all three were forced to stop abruptly. The sand was _wavering_ before them, literally moving, and as Syaoran watched, he realized the sky was doing the same.

_It's like in Outo! Does that mean..._

"I was hoping this would end soon," Fye commented pleasantly, and Kurogane shot him a look.

"What is _that_ supposed to mean?"

"It's not real."

The other two turned to Syaoran in surprise, and the boy found that even he was caught off-guard by his calm statement. Shouldn't he be sad to know that he hadn't really returned home? For a moment he was afraid that the words may not have come from him, but as he thought about it, he realized that wasn't the problem at all.

The home I'm looking for isn't this--it isn't just Clow itself. What about the people who lived there, like the king and the high priest? And the princess...

He drew the girl against him, holding her tight even as everything around him continued to waver and move.

My home...is wherever she is.

And in an instant, the world liquefied, melting like ice under the desert sun, until it all faded to black.

* * *

"So," Kurogane said, poking at the fire absently. They were all huddled together under his cloak again, only this time they sat in a field of wild flowers and not beneath the baking desert sun. Sakura still slept, cradled against Syaoran, and Fye sat slightly outside the circle of light. 

"Let me get this straight. You," the samurai pointed the red-hot poker at the magician, who turned around and smiled happily, "knew that we were in an illusion." A nod. "The _entire time_." Another nod.

Kurogane's hand twitched around the poker. Fye beamed.

"And _you_," the swordsman said suddenly, turning his glare to the startled Syaoran. "The hell was going on with you!"

Syaoran paled, not sure he knew the exact answer to that question. The other presence hadn't made itself known since he'd defeated it to save Sakura, but he knew it was still there, resting within his heart, and the thought terrified him. Like this, he would be nothing but a liability to the team. If they could no longer trust him, if he could no longer trust himself...

"I...am not sure. I'm sorry for--"

"Don't apologize."

Syaoran stopped, startled at the dark-clad man's words, but Kurogane just stared into the fire as he poked at it.

"Don't apologize. Grow stronger instead." He looked up then, if only for a second, and then tossed the poker into the fire and stood. "Then we won't have to worry about this ever happening again."

"Ooh, Kurowan says such insightful things!"

"Shut the hell up!"

"Mokona wants to say insightful things, too!"

"Graaaah, get offa me!"

"But that illusion..." Syaoran murmured, looking down at the unconscious princess in his arms. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught the magician's smile fade. "That was all set up for this to happen...wasn't it?"

Fye gave him a gentle smile in response, looking down at Sakura as well. "I don't think you have to worry about that, Syaoran-kun. No one _meant_ for that to happen."

Syaoran turned to the man in surprise. "But how do you-"

Fye shushed him with a broadening of his smile. "Because you and Sakura-chan came back safe."

The boy just stared for a moment, but then he felt a stirring in his arms, and his gaze immediately turned to the girl who blinking up at him.

"Syaoran-kun...?"

Relief flooded through Syaoran at the name, his fears that she may have lost something important again fading in an instant. "How are you feeling, princess?"

"Just fine. But..." The girl gasped, pulling herself to a sitting position, Syaoran instinctively keeping an arm against her back. "Where are we?"

"Sakura woke up!" Mokona sang, "Look, Sakura! The illusion is gone now."

"Illusion...?"

"That's right, Sakura-chan," Fye said, leaning down and smiling at her. "We were caught in an illusion of your home. But we broke free."

She blinked up at him, then at Syaoran, and then smiled sadly. "I'm glad. I...didn't like it there."

Syaoran looked down at her in surprise. "Princess?"

"I'm glad that wasn't my real home. Because...it was so quiet. And sad." She looked away from Syaoran, twining her fingers together as they lay across her stomach. "I thought...it would be a very sad place to live in, if it was really like that."

"Princess..."

She looked up at him and smiled, and then moved away, away from the warmth of his arms, and suddenly the night was very cold.

Fye smiled at the two and quietly left the safety of the tent, stretching out his arms when he was out in the open. Mokona bounced over to the other man and hopped up onto his shoulder. The magician smiled and lay a hand gently on the little creature's head.

"Shall we, Mokona?"

His smile was all Fye needed.

"Neee, Kurotan, wait for uuuus!"

"Kuromyuu!"

Syaoran smiled at their two friends, not at all surprised that they would find a way to lighten the situation. It was something only Fye and Mokona possessed, and he was infinitely grateful that he'd been able to meet them. He didn't know what he'd do without their smiles to help him through the journey. Beside him, Sakura let out a pleased sigh as she warmed her hands by the fire, and Syaoran's expression softened as he watched her.

Mokona's and Fye's smiles served to help him through the hard times. But it was Sakura's smile that he was always aiming for.

_She_ was his goal.

He wondered if he'd said something or made some kind of noise because she looked at him then, eyes shining and a smile brightening her face. And he knew the presence was still deep inside his heart, knew that the strange man and woman were still there, somewhere, waiting. Knew that things could never, ever be the same, that this journey would never end the way he dreamed it would every night.

But she still smiled for him, that smile just for him, and he thought that he could become strong enough.


End file.
